Europe - French loudspeaker manufacturers Active Audio and APG confirmed at ProLight+Sound 2016 the signing of a strategic alliance. While both brands will remain independent in their respective activities - and through distribution channels - Active Audio will continue to focus on the Public Address market while APG will still cater for live events and large venue installations. The decision to join forces will foster critical synergies between both companies in R&D, production, financing and ultimately global reach.

As a result, with immediate effect. Active Audio will now hold 60% of APG shares while APG's historical shareholders, Jean-Luc Moncel, Philippe Frarier and Grégory Dapsanse, will hold the majority of the remaining shares.

Commenting on the agreement, Régis Cazin enthused, "All stakeholders at APG and Active Audio feel elated to have this new all

Germany - Martin Audio took full advantage of this year's significant changes to Prolight+Sound 2016 in Frankfurt, announcing the new CDD-LIVE! series from its new stand location and showcasing the products in a live demonstration. It was also an opportunity for the industry to meet Dom Harter, Martin Audio's new managing director.

The combination proved highly successful as the media gathered enthusiastically at Martin Audio's new stand to see the unveiling of the new series. This comprises Martin Audio's popular Coaxial Differential Dispersion horns, now teamed with integrated amplifier, Dante connectivity and tour grade materials.

The complete range was then showcased to hundreds of guests across 24 demonstrations in a dedicated theatre, away from the stand.

Director of marketing, James King, said, "It's the first time that we have taken a stand in our own right at

Germany - Optocore and BroaMan had plenty of surprises in store for the world's press (and partners) when they assembled at the company's booth during Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt.

Unmissable for its slot car scale racetrack, the booth featured milestones from the company's 20-year history right up to the present - including this year's new blockbuster releases.

First up was BroaMan's upgraded Route66 video router, now offering Auto Routing and an intelligent fibre patch bay. The new functionality is powered by Optocore, and is ideal not only for Installation but equally for live events or broadcast.

The first customer is Wigwam Acoustics - and their long-term digital specialist Alex Hadjigeorgiou, the man responsible for the acquisition, flew in from South America to address the assembled press. Now an independent designer, he announced that Coldplay would be the first

UK - No less than nine DiGiCo SD series mixing consoles formed the backbone of the audio production at the annual Brit Awards, held at London's O2 Arena on 2 February.

The event's audio production management - headed up by Colin Pink - crew, control and loudspeaker systems were provided by Britannia Row Productions. The complex sound requirements of a televised major awards event, with performances by some of contemporary music's highest profile acts were handled easily by the DiGiCo consoles.

Not only were DiGiCo consoles chosen to mix the live performances, as well as the presenter and warm up acts, but seven of the 11 winners on the night are regular DiGiCo users.

Two SD7s were installed at the Front of House position, which were used to mix live performances by Adele, James Bay, Coldplay and Justin Bieber, with all four regular DiGiCo users winning awards on the ni

UK - Leading provider of professional AV equipment, Audiologic has secured the exclusive UK distribution for Ely-based Spectra Displays. Spectra manufactures an extensive range of LED displays, signs, video displays and LCD media panels suitable for a large range of applications.

As Audiologic continues to expand the scope and facility of its AV operation, this relationship adds a significant and high-quality range of products to its visual provision, whilst for Spectra, entering a partnership with an established, well-connected AV distributor is set to open up and grow new markets. Audiologic's engineering and technical focus on customer needs and correct specification aligns perfectly with Spectra's own ethos in this respect and the potential for mutual advantage is clearly evident.

Andy Lewis, Sales & Marketing Manager for Audiologic comments on what he clearly sees as

Germany - Lawo's VSM Broadcast Control System is heavily used as part of the TV and entertainment system on board of the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas. US shipping company Royal Caribbean International is currently building this third member of its Quantum Class vessels at Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany.

On board, VSM is used as the overall control system for the vessel's own TV system with 36 IPTV channels as well as routing of all cameras of the entertainment areas, like musical theatres or night-clubs. The Finnish systems integrator TV Tools Oy is responsible for the implementation.

It is common to all Quantum Class ships that all TV signals on board are processed in HD quality. As an independent control system, VSM easily integrates with all relevant technology on the ship in order to produce, route and transmit the TV-Signals as well as providing material in the th

South Africa - Over 127 schools were invited to attend a Careers Day on 7 April, hosted by Silverstar in Krugersdorp - the focus on employment opportunities available within this casino. DWR Distribution was asked to be a sponsor and exhibitor, giving students the opportunity to consider working in the entertainment industry as a technician. The conference venue became a haven for 500 students, hungry for knowledge.

Thabo Ntsala, multimedia manager at Silverstar, who heads technical for events and conferences, was clearly chuffed. "Silverstar have hosted a day like this before on a much smaller scale," he said. Thabo explained that students would be exposed to various professions including marketing, events management and promotions and more.

As Silverstar is a popular venue for live entertainment and conferences, Thabo invited DWR Distribution to be part of the project, e

UK - The growing demand for line array systems has led West Midlands based MG Event & Sound to add an FBT Muse system to its hire equipment line-up.

MG's customer base is spread across the UK and includes both corporate and commercial as well as church and music events. The company offers both hire and installation services and has previously sold and installed FBT systems including Vertus, Verve, Mitus and J Series, so when proprietor, Mike Godden, decided he wanted to add a line array to his hire line-up, FBT was immediately on his list of potential purchases.

"I've been dealing with FBT for 18 years, previously for products that I have been selling and they've always impressed me. I wanted to have a line array in our inventory to enable us to take on bigger jobs, but I didn't need a huge system costing a vast amount of money. I wanted to deal with a manufacturer with go

USA - Rock veterans and 39-year touring pros Toto released their latest studio album, XIV. Since then, they have been steadily touring the world in support of the release. For the very first time, keyboardist David Paich has been taking the stage with in-ear monitors - The Sensaphonics 3D AARO Active Ambient system. Keyboard tech Jordan Rippe is also using the 3D system throughout the show.

Of course, nearly every major tour relies on IEMs, but like many old-school rockers, David Paich had never taken to the technology. But with side stage responsibilities for two keyboard rigs - David Paich and synthesist Steve Porcaro - Rippe decided it was time to step up his own IEM game, which is how he learned about the 3D AARO.

"As tour tech for both David and Steve, there's a lot to do," he recounts. "I talked to my friends around L.A. about in-ears and mostly heard the usua

UK - Perhaps it was the ushers dressed as beekeepers, maybe it was the rustic soundscape on the way into the venue, or that tens of thousands of the principle players weren't actually in the building. Whatever, as live performance experiences go this one looked like it was going to be a bit of a honey. And with TiMax SoundHub dynamic spatialisation, a 15.2 KV2 surround system and layered projection screens there was promise of quite the memorable multi-sensory experience.

Be Play One was an ambitious live reprieve at Nottingham Arts Centre of the Wolfgang Buttress-inspired sound and music-scape created for the UK Milan Expo 2015 pavilion, as part of his massive beehive and meadow installation which sought to highlight the significance and plight of bees in our food chain and ecology. The show played for two nights to sold-out audiences and received quietly rapturous rev

China - Nexo's newly-installed public address solutions in one of the world's most modern airports have exceeded targets and expectations. Now up and running in the Mid-Field Concourse of the Hong Kong International Airport (Chep Lak Kok), the PA installation is the culmination of a six-year process, and is being described as a game-changer for public address intelligibility, quality and user experience.

The Mid-Field Concourse (MFC) is a new building which adds 30 gates to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). Initiated by the Hong Kong Airport Authority, the MFC is a key component of the airport's expansion plans, which include the opening of a third runway and Terminal.

In 2011, acoustics and AV consultant Arup Hong Kong started the process of defining a future-proof strategy and design for the MFC's public address capability, looking at all acoustic, technological an

Czech Republic - Czech PA company, MB Agency, has invested in Allen & Heath's dLive digital mixing system as part of an upgrade to its hire stock.

The system was used for the first time when MB Agency was appointed by the Czech Forestry Association to manage the technical production of its 20th Anniversary Gala Ball, which took place recently at the cultural venue, Aldis, in the city of Hradec Kr

Copyright Row - Led Zeppelin founders Robert Plant and Jimmy Page must face trial in a copyright row over the song Stairway to Heaven, a US court has ruled. A Los Angeles district judge said there were enough similarities between the song and an instrumental by the band Spirit to let a jury decide. The trial has been scheduled for 10 May.

Stairway to Heaven, released in 1971, is widely seen as one of the greatest rock compositions of all time. The copyright infringement action has been brought by Michael Skidmore, a trustee for the late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe, who played on the same bill as Led Zeppelin in the 1960s, and claims he should be given a writing credit on the track. Led Zeppelin guitarist Page and lead singer Plant are reputed to have written the track in a remote cottage in Wales.

By Royal Appointment - Kylie Minogue will perform for

Italy - Japan's view of the world and the beauty of its nature has been displayed across seven giant pillars installed at Milano Salone 2016 - created using 140 Panasonic 55" inch professional video wall displays.

The installation is designed with the theme of K?KAN - the Invention of Space and sees 140 TH-55LFV5 panels arranged into seven pillars each over six metres high. It combines the traditional culture of Japan with state-of-the-art technology.

Milano Salone attracts approximately 310,000 visitors and 160 participating countries each year. It has a strong influence on the design industry as a launch pad for the latest global design trends. In recent years, it has evolved beyond its role as a design exhibition and is drawing attention as a platform of expression for many brands.

(Jim Evans)

Brazil - NBC Olympics, a division of the NBC Sports Group, has selected Lawo to provide VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) broadcast control and monitoring solution for its production of the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, which take place in Rio de Janeiro in August. The production will also utilize Lawo's innovative IP Commentary System. The announcement was made today by Timothy Canary, vice president of engineering, NBC Sports Group.

With the selection of Lawo's VSM and its LCU, Lawo's IP Commentary System, NBC Olympics will implement new, enhanced control flexibility at both the NBC Olympics production compound within the International Broadcast Centre in Rio, and for the NBC Olympics' studios in Stamford, Conn.

VSM will be the overall control system for NBC Olympics' core routing and tally management, connecting to multiple 3rd party devices on an IP backbone, utilizing approx

UK - In February, KV2 Audio were involved in a unique, immersive and intriguing live event at Nottingham Arts Theatre.

It is not often that any venue can boast 40,000+ performers in a live multi-sensory experience - let alone the welcoming and intimate Nottingham Arts Theatre - but the two sold-out Be Play One shows saw just that.

One is the soundscape from the UK Pavilion Milan Expo 2015, which sought to highlight the importance of the UK's honey bee in our food chain and plight as a species.

At the production, 12 musicians were augmented by live-streamed signals from Brackenhurst, Nottinghamshire - where the sound of a 40,000+ strong honey bee hive was instrumental to the sonic experience delivered to the audience via a fully immersive 15:2 surround sound system made up of KV2 Audio products.

Following listening tests undertaken at Hoare Lea's Londo

UK - Following on from last year's £500,000 investment, Fisher Hires has responded to client demand and invested another £275,000 into the business, significantly increasing sound, video and lighting stock.

New products include: Nexo speakers such as the versatile Nexo ID24, and the 45N 12 stage monitor, ChamSys MagicQ lighting consoles, more Panasonic display screens including the super bright 80" LED, plus a wide range of mics from Shure, AKG and Sennheiser as well as Yamaha QL5 mixers.

Lighting capacity has also increased with the purchase of SGN G spot IP Rated Movers, Robe Robin Viva LED Profiles and more of the popular ETC Source Fours LED Lustr's.

Graham Beswick CEO of the Fisher Productions Group said, "I am extremely proud of the work that we do across the Fisher group and our rate of growth. This growth has enabled us to carefully select a compreh

Germany - The introduction of d&b NoizCalc at Frankfurt's 2016 Prolight+Sound has brought some much needed promise to the serious subject of far field noise immission at open air events.

The new d&b software tool, created in collaboration with noise consulting and software development experts, SoundPLAN, will enable system designers to assess how multiple complex and coherently emitting sources, such as d&b line arrays and subwoofer arrays, will impact on areas outside the listening field - to internationally recognized standards. NoizCalc is a further radical enhancement in the prediction and planning toolbox for existing d&b systems.

At the exhibition stand, dedicated workstations gave visitors a chance to take a closer look at NoizCalc as well as the recently launched Dante enabling DS10 Audio network bridge. And whether mobile or installation, the complete loudspeaker

USA - Wohler Technologies of Hayward, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area has joined the rapidly growing ranks of the RAVENNA Partnership community. With over three decades' experience in in-rack audio monitoring technology, the company is now one of the leading lights in signal monitoring and correction solutions in multiple form factors for broadcast, motion picture and production facilities.

NAB sees the unveiling of Wohler's first RAVENNA/AES67-enabled products, the iAM-AUDIO monitoring device which offers AES67 decoding, metering and monitoring in a compact 1U package and a new AES67-enabled module for their flagship AMP2-16V audio monitoring and management platform.

According to Craig Newbury, Wohler VP sales & marketing, "As customers continue to migrate over to IP, the requirement to support technologies such as RAVENNA/AES67 in monitoring solutions, like our new iAM-

UK - The British Entertainment Industry Radio Group (BEIRG) urges Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) spectrum users to respond to an Ofcom consultation on funding for a possible compensation scheme for those affected by the clearance of the 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz).

On 31 March 2016 Ofcom issued a consultation document entitled Managing the effects of 700 MHz Clearance on PMSE and DTT viewers. It can be found here: http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/700-clearance-cfi

The consultation is designed to ascertain the possible level of funding that will be needed to compensate PMSE users whose equipment will be left fully or partially redundant after the 700 MHz band is cleared of PMSE users.

Towards the bottom of the webpage listed above, there is a link to a 'PMSE Financial Questionnaire'. While the UK Government has not yet formally committed

UK - Leading provider of professional AV equipment, Audiologic, has appointed Steph Seaton in the role of Internal Sales Support. Steph joins the company from a background in chemical distribution where her role required high levels of organisation, communication and efficiency. Steph will be the first point of contact for Audiologic's customers, dealing with and directing sales traffic in order to best support every member of the team in its drive to provide excellent service.

Sales and Marketing Manager Andy Lewis welcomes Steph Seaton's appointment: "It's important to stress the value we place upon every appointment at Audiologic. As we continue to grow our business at a rapid rate, we need to ensure that our internal systems efficiently keep pace with the pressures created by increased demand. Steph joins us from a high-pressure industry where she demonstrated exactly the

UK - Award winning U.S. event technology start-up Crowd Mics are to hold a UK launch in London on the 12 May. The event, to be held at the iconic Curzon cinema in Soho, will feature a presentation from CEO and co-founder Tim Holladay together with live demonstrations of the technology with UK partner Saville Audio Visual.

Since featuring on the BBC in August last year the company has seen a dramatic rise in requests for its technology which allows users to speak, text and vote using their own smartphone. Tim explains, "For us, Crowd Mics is all about engagement. It's about letting people in the audience participate and be a part of the discussion. Since our launch we've had significant interest from the UK and have been looking for the perfect partner to drive this forward. Saville combines a vast technical know-how with a forward-looking and personable team. Perfect for Crowd

Australia - Originally built in 1892 as a brewery and malting works, building in Southbank, Melbourne has been the home of the Malthouse Theatre since 1990, when Carlton and United Breweries donated the space for the creation and presentation of contemporary Australian theatre. Today, the thriving theatre presents mainly cabarets and musicals, but also plays, conferences and seminars.

In early 2016, the audio system at The Coopers Malthouse, which was over 10 years old, was due for a technical upgrade. The venue is run as a non-profit organisation, so budget was a major criterion in the choice of a system. The Coopers Malthouse consists of three theatres (with respective seating capacities of 500, 200 and 100), rehearsal studios, meeting rooms, a bar and a café. Seating configurations in each theatre change depending on the performance criteria, so the new system also n

Italy - Clonwerk Simposium recently equipped the Italian headquarters of Bosch in Milan with a customized sound reinforcement system from Dynacord and Electro-Voice (EV). The installed solution offers a combination of high speech intelligibility, powerful music reproduction and architecture-friendly aesthetics. Loudspeakers from the Dynacord Vertical Array family and the EV EVID series are installed in the auditorium and adjoining Galileo Room, as well as subwoofers, amplifiers, system control and touchpanels.

Over a century ago, Bosch opened its first sales office for Italy in Milan. Today the company has over 5,700 employees at 17 locations across the country. In time for the Expo World Fair 2015, Milan-based Clonwerk Simposium installed a new Dynacord and Electro-Voice sound system in the Bosch headquarters of Italy, which is located in the capital of Lombardy to this day.<

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